Self-perceived academic employability skills and physical quality of life on first-year university students’ wellbeing

in Pracana, lara; Silva, Liliana (Eds.) International Psychological Applications Conference and Trends (2013)

With the Bologna Process, students’ wellbeing and generic skills for employability became priorities for European universities, but their respective influences remain unclear. Our aims were to analyse the ... [more ▼]

With the Bologna Process, students’ wellbeing and generic skills for employability became priorities for European universities, but their respective influences remain unclear. Our aims were to analyse the relationships between Academic Employability Skills (AES), psychological suffering (General Health Questionnaire) and psychological quality of life(psychological Whoqol-bref) and other physical, social and environmental Whoqol-bref domains and socio-demographic characteristics. Design: Nine months after the start of their first-year at University of Luxembourg, 973 students were invited to participate at a cross-sectional study. Methods: An online questionnaire was proposed in French, German, and English to assess : a) two instruments described the student’s well-being : 1) Whoqol-bref's psychological subscale-6 items (Cronbach's alpha 0.77) with higher the score, higher the psychological quality of live; 2) GHQ-12 items scale (Cronbach's alpha 0.75) with lower the score, lower the psychological suffering; and one explored the AES-5 items scale (Cronbach's alpha 0.76) (capacities of drafting, solution problem, team work, supervision / direction of others, and use new technologies). Data were analysed using logistic models. Findings: 321 first-year students participated in the study Psychological Whoqol-bref’s and AES’s scores are positively correlated. This relation was verified for each item (drafting, critical spirit, solution to problem, team work, and supervision/direction of others) except use new technologies. Between the correlations of the two instruments only 3/6 items of psychological Whoqol-bref (ability to concentrate, satisfaction with self, negative feelings) are correlated with 8/12 items of GHQ-12 (sleep lost, making decisions, feeling under strain, no overcome difficulties, depressed, loosing self-confidence, considering his/her self as a worthless, reasonably happy). A positive effect between the psychological Whoqol-bref and the AES scores was observed, including with physical, social relationships and environmental domains. No connection exists between the AES and the GHQ-12 scores; on the other side the GHQ-12 score has a negative influence on physical Whoqol-bref status. Conclusions: If a wellbeing suffering contributes in less physical quality of life, the better wellbeing, the higher academic employability skills. Campus should care of students ‘wellbeing and implement counselling activities and adapted environmental to improve their sustainable skills for employability. If the university could maintain the well-being indicators at appropriate levels or manage decreases as they occur, it would have implications for health promotion by creation of new student support systems and <br />services developing sustainable conditions for better European Higher Educational Area. [less ▲]

Students' Dropout regarding Academic Employability Skills and Satisfaction Against

in Pracana, Clara; Silva, Liliana (Eds.) International psychological Applications and Trends (2013)

With the Lisbon and Bologna processes, studies completion and sustainable employability of students became priorities for European universities. For the Council of European Union, the share of 30-40 year ... [more ▼]

With the Lisbon and Bologna processes, studies completion and sustainable employability of students became priorities for European universities. For the Council of European Union, the share of 30-40 year olds with tertiary educational attainment should be at least 40% by 2020. The young Luxembourg University needs to understand why some students choose to leave without a diploma. Our aim was to analyse the relationships between self-perceiving of the academic employability skills (AES), self-related global quality of life (GQoL) and satisfaction towards against university services (SUS) among persisting and non-persisting students. Design: All freshmen (947) from the three Faculties of Luxembourg University (Sciences & Technology, Law & Finances and Social Sciences) were invited to participate to a cross-sectional survey that took place at beginning of the second semester. Methods: The persisting <br />students were requested to complete an online questionnaire and those who had dropped out during the first semester (non-registered for the second semester) were contacted to responding at the same questions including socio-demographics characteristics: age; sex; nationality (yes/no); work (yes/no); father’s and mother's occupational level and education. A discriminant analysis was undertaken using: the AES scale-6 items (Cronbach’s alpha 0.81); the level of GQoL (1 item, values from 1 “very bad” to 5 “very good”) and the SUS scale-3 items (Cronbach’s alpha 0.74). Findings: 99 persisting students and 68 dropouts have responding. There's no significant age difference between these 2 groups (mean 21.12 years old). Dropouts are more likely young men (55.9% vs. 39.4% persisting, p = 0.036) and have a job (58.2% vs. 3.6% persisting, p = 0.000). Their GQoL is higher (83.3/100 vs. 78.1/100 persisting, p = 0.032), but their AES are lower (55.2/100 vs. 67.3/100 persisting, p°= 0.000). Among them, AES and SUS are positively correlated (correlation 0.414; p = 0.000). Conclusions: Contrary to what described in literature, dropouts are not older than persisting students. They’ve a poorer perception of their employability skills, they're less satisfied with university services (like reputation of university, of faculty and teaching quality). However, they've a better quality of life and much of them have a gainful work. These findings are in line <br />with recent studies suggesting that perceptions of quality of higher education have an impact on students’ satisfaction and behavioral intentions. Further researches will determine nature of links between academic services, employability skills and dropout. [less ▲]

Comorbity between mental and physical illnesses and their risk factors in early adolescence.

in The bio-psycho-social model: the future of psychiatry. (2013)

Educational Objectives: Our results provide knowledge about a wide range of deleterious factors associated with mental and physical illnesses and have to be monitored in early adolescence.Purpose: To ... [more ▼]

Educational Objectives: Our results provide knowledge about a wide range of deleterious factors associated with mental and physical illnesses and have to be monitored in early adolescence.Purpose: To assess the associations between mental and physical illnesses, and with socioeconomic factors, alcohol/tobacco/cannabis/hard drugs uses, low school-performance, lack of sports/physical activity, obesity, sustained physical/verbal violence, sexual abuse, involvement in violence, and suicide ideation among boys and girls in early adolescents.Methods: The sample included 1,559 middle-school students from north-eastern France (mean age 13.5, SD 1.3), who completed a self-administered questionnaire including gender, birth date, father’s occupation, parents’ education, nationality, family structure, income, last-30-day alcohol/tobacco/cannabis/hard drugs uses, low-school-performance (last-trimester-grade<10/20), lifetime sustained physical/verbal violence (20-item scale), lifetime sexual abuse, lifetime involvement in violence (11-item scale), last-12-month suicide ideation, and social relationship, living environment, mental and physical illnesses (measured with the four WHOQoL-Bref domains, score<10th percentiles). Data were analyzed using logistic regression models.Results: Mental and physical illnesses affected respectively 14.4% and 9.7% of adolescents. They were strongly linked: gender-age-adjusted odds ratio gaOR 7.07. They were linked with most socioeconomic factors: female (vs. male, gaORs 1.79 and 1.67), increasing age (1.25 and 1.28, per year), reconstructed family (2.25 and 2.34, vs. intact family), separated/divorced parents (2.46 and 2.35), non-significant (ns) for single-parent, other family categories (3.36 and 2.36), craftsman/tradesman/firm-head offspring (1.70 and 1.70, vs. manager/professional offspring), intermediate-professional offspring (1.84 and 1.70), manual-worker offspring (1.54 (ns) and 2.30), unemployed/retired offspring (2.88 and 3.11), European immigrants (1.39 (ns) and 2.28, vs. French), non-European immigrants (1.32 (ns) and 3.29), insufficient income (1.76 and 1.72). Mental and physical illnesses also related to low-school-performance (gaORs 2.13 and 3.80), alcohol use (1-5 times: ns; 6+ times: 3.85 and 2.23), tobacco use (1-5 times: 2.67 and 3.30; 6+ cigarettes/day: 4.41 and 3.82), cannabis use (1-5 times: 1.91 (ns) and 2.25; 6+ times: 2.55 and 2.06), hard drugs use (4.50 and 4.05), no regular sports/physical activity (2.09 and 3.49), obesity (2.00 and 1.68), sexual abuse (8.25 and 6.22), suicide ideation (10.3 and 5.61), physical/verbal violence (score 1-3: 1.37 and 1.42; score 4+: 3.08 and 2.76, vs. score 0), involvement in violence (score 1-5: 2.44 and 2.05; score 6+: 4.86 and 5.70, vs. score 0), altered social relationship (4.16 and 8.95), and altered living environment (9.59 and 11.7).Conclusion: This study has achieved our aims to identify factors associated with mental and physical illnesses in early adolescence. These original findings provided knowledge which may help public policy promoting adolescent mental and physical health. [less ▲]

Self-reporting and measurement of body mass index in adolescents: refusals and validity, and the possible role of socioeconomic and health-related factors.

in BMC Public Health (2013), 13(1), 815-829

Body mass index assessment using self-reported height and weight (BMIsr) can encounter refusals and under/over-reporting while for assessment with measured data (BMIm) refusals can be more frequent. This ... [more ▼]

Body mass index assessment using self-reported height and weight (BMIsr) can encounter refusals and under/over-reporting while for assessment with measured data (BMIm) refusals can be more frequent. This could relate to socioeconomic and health-related factors. We explored these issues by investigating numerous potential factors: gender, age, family structure, father's occupation, income, physical/sports activity, subjective weight perception, school performance, unhealthy behaviours, physical/psychological health, social relationships, living environment, having sustained violence, sexual abuse, and involvement in violence. The sample included 1559 adolescents from middle schools in north-eastern France. They completed a questionnaire including socioeconomic and health-related data, self-reported height/weight, measured height/weight, and weight perception (participation rate 94%). Data were analysed using logistic regression models. BMIsr encountered under-reporting (with change in BMI category, 11.8%), over-reporting (6.0%), and reporting refusals (3.6%). BMIm encountered more numerous refusals (7.9%). Reporting refusal was related to living with a single parent, low school performance, lack of physical/sports activity, sustained violence, poor psychological health, and poor social relationships (gender/age-adjusted odds ratios 1.95 to 2.91). Further to these factors, measurement refusal was related to older age, having divorced/separated parents, a father being a manual worker/inactive, insufficient family income, tobacco/cannabis use, involvement in violence, poor physical health, and poor living environment (1.30 to 3.68). Under-reporting was related to male gender, involvement in violence, poor psychological health, and overweight/obesity (as assessed with BMIm) (1.52 to 11). Over-reporting was related to male gender, younger age, alcohol consumption, and underweight (1.30 to 5.35). Weight perception was linked to reporting refusals and under/over-reporting, but slightly linked to measurement refusal. The contributions of socioeconomic and health-related factors to the associations of weight perception with reporting refusal and under/over-reporting ranged from -82% to 44%. There were substantial discrepancies in the associations between socioeconomic/health-related factors and overweight/obesity assessed with BMIsr and BMIm. BMIsr and BMIm were affected by numerous biases related to vulnerability which were also obesity risk factors. BMIsr encountered under/over-reporting which were related to some socioeconomic and health-related factors, weight perception, and BMIm. BMIm was more affected by refusals than BMIsr due to socioeconomic and health-related factors. Further research is needed. [less ▲]

Impacts of socioeconomic, Family, School, Behavioral and Mental Difficulties on Suicide attempts in Youth

in The bio-psycho-social model: the futur of psychiatry (2013)

This study may help participants to recognize factors influencing suicide attempt which have to be assessed/monitored in boys and girls. Purpose: To assess the impacts of socioeconomic factors, alcohol ... [more ▼]

This study may help participants to recognize factors influencing suicide attempt which have to be assessed/monitored in boys and girls. Purpose: To assess the impacts of socioeconomic factors, alcohol/tobacco/cannabis/hard drugs uses, repeating a school-year, sustained physical/verbal violence, sexual abuse, depressive symptoms, and involvement in violence on suicide attempt among boys and girls in early adolescents. Methods: The sample included 1,559 middle-school students from north-eastern France (778 boys and 781 girls, mean age 13.5, SD 1.3), who completed a self-administered questionnaire including gender, birth date, father’s occupation, parents’ education, nationality, income, social supports (9-item scale), and lifetime history reconstruction of parents’ separation/divorce/death, alcohol/tobacco/ cannabis/hard drugs uses, repeating a school-year, sustained physical/verbal violence (20-item scale), sexual abuse, depressive symptoms (Kandel scale), involvement in violence (11-item scale), and suicide attempts. Data were analyzed using Cox regression models. Results: Lifetime suicide attempt affected 7.2% of boys and 12.5% of girls (p<0.001). Among boys, the factors with significant crude hazard ratio cHR were: insufficient income (2.29), alcohol use (2.33), tobacco use (3.76), hard drugs use (4.48), depressive symptoms (3.60), sustained physical/verbal violence (2.72), sexual abuse (4.30), involvement in violence (3.16), and lack of social support (2.64 for score 1-2, 3.08 for score 3+, vs. score 0). Full model including all factors retained only insufficient income (adjusted hazard ratio aHR 2.11), alcohol use (1.99), depressive symptoms (3.29), and involvement in violence (2.64). Among girls, the factors with significant cHR were: parents’ separation/divorce (2.44), insufficient income (2.23), low parents’ education (1.86), repeating a school-year (2.56), alcohol use (2.04), tobacco use (5.19), cannabis use (3.72), hard drugs use (11.65), depressive symptoms (3.51), sustained physical/verbal violence (1.71), sexual abuse (8.09), involvement in violence (2.04), and lack of social support (3.46 for score 1-2, 6.92 for score 3+, vs. score 0). Full model retained only parents’ separation/divorce (aHR 1.56), repeating a school-year (1.98), alcohol use (1.58), tobacco use (3.60), depressive symptoms (1.86), sexual abuse (6.60), and lack of social support (2.62 for score 1-2 and 4.38 for score 3+, vs. score 0). Compared with boys, girls had a significant cHR of 1.74 which decreased to 1.57 when controlling for all covariates (contribution 23%). Conclusion: This study has achieved our objectives to identify a wide range of socioeconomic, family, school, behavioral and mental difficulties generating suicide attempt among boys and girls in early adolescence. Our findings are original. They reported their causal relationships, the knowledge of which may help public policy preventing suicide attempt. [less ▲]

Harmonie et divergences des couples sur les repercussions familiales et sociales apres la survenue d’un accident vasculaire cerebral.

in Analele Stiintifice ale Universitatii "Alexandru Ioan Cuza". Sectiunea Sociologie si Asistenta Sociala = Scientific Annals of the “Alexandru Ioan Cuza” University. Sociology and Social Work Section (2012), 5(1), 155-173

Deux ans après la survenue d’un accident vasculaire cérébral (AVC), l’harmonie et la divergence entre les déclarations des patients et des conjoints ont été analysées auprès de 51 couples vivant au ... [more ▼]

Deux ans après la survenue d’un accident vasculaire cérébral (AVC), l’harmonie et la divergence entre les déclarations des patients et des conjoints ont été analysées auprès de 51 couples vivant au Luxembourg à l’aide d’un entretien mené à leur domicile. « L’AVC a créé des bouleversements considérables dans ma famille » et « au début, personne ne savait quelle attitude avoir avec la personne AVC »; ces retentissements sont, pour les couples, indiscutables. D’autres effets les affectent: « le caractère de la personne AVC a changé complètement depuis son AVC », ils estiment que « c’est sur le plan psychologique que cela a été le plus difficile ». Malgré les changements intervenus, les voyages demeurent un sujet qui les mobilise. Les besoins « d’information concernant l’aide financière » et « d’aide pour faire des demandes administratives, d’allocations ou de services » sanitaires et socio-éducatifs sont des priorités communes. Ils sont attentifs au fait que « les services et l’équipement fournis soient de bonne qualité » et dispensés à « des moments de la journée qui conviennent ». Les personnes victimes d’un AVC sont plus nombreuses que leurs aidants à reconnaître que « lorsqu’on a un AVC, on se sent dévalorisé ». Cette différence entre les attitudes des patients et des conjoints est une forme de stigmatisation du handicap dont souffrent les victimes confrontées à une image qui n’est plus celle qu’ils avaient d’eux avant l’accident. Avec le vieillissement de la population, une conception de la prise en charge par couple devrait être pensée dans le cadre du maintien à domicile. De nouvelles perspectives de recherche en sociologie médicale pourraient être développées. [less ▲]

Suicide behaviors and role of family characteristics, school difficulties, unhealthy behaviors, and mental health among multi-cultural students.

in Psychosociological Work in Transcultural Contexts (2012)

Background: School is a multi-cultural setting where students are trained for community participation, especially at adulthood. But some students experience suicidal behaviors and the risk may be ... [more ▼]

Background: School is a multi-cultural setting where students are trained for community participation, especially at adulthood. But some students experience suicidal behaviors and the risk may be exacerbated among immigrant students because of their living conditions. In an early adolescence context, this study assessed of risk for suicide behaviors among European and non-European immigrants and the roles of family characteristics, school difficulties, unhealthy behaviors, and mental health. Methods: Questionnaires were completed by 1559 middle-school adolescents from north-eastern France (mean age 13.5 (SD 1.3) years) including: sex, age, family structure, nationality, father’s occupation, unhealthy behaviors (last-30-day consumption of tobacco/alcohol/cannabis/hard drug, no regular sports/physical activities), repeating a school year, low-school-performance (<10/20), and quittingschool- thinking, depressive symptoms, victim of violence or sexual abuse, implication in violence, and suicide behaviors. Data were analyzed using logistic models. Results: Last-12-month suicidal ideation (SI) and lifetime suicide attempts (SA) affected 11.7% and 9.9% of students. The risk for SI was higher for European immigrants (gender-age-adjusted odds ratio ORa 2.06) and non-European immigrants (2.60) compared with French. Further adjustment for father’s occupation and family structure reduced the ORs to 1.76 (28%) and 2.43 (11%) respectively. Further adjustment for unhealthy behaviors, school difficulties, depressive symptoms, victim of violence or sexual abuse, and implication in violence reduced the ORs to 1.50 (53%) and 2.23 (23%) respectively. The risk for SA was higher for European immigrants only (ORa 2.21). Further adjustment for father’s occupation and family structure reduced the OR to 2.03 (15%), and further adjustment for other covariates reduced it to 1.59 (51%). Conclusion: Immigrant students have a higher risk for suicidal ideation or suicide attempts depending on their origin. The risk is strongly mediated by family characteristics, school difficulties, unhealthy behaviors, and mental heath. Public policy may focus on these issues. This should promote school achievement and community participation. [less ▲]

L’Europe Universitaire. L’identité d’étudiante face à l’employabilité.

Book published by Academia L’Harmattan (2012)

Entrer à l'université impose aux jeunes étudiants de renoncer à leurs habitudes de lycéens pour s'adapter à l'environnement et au travail universitaires. Comment négocient-ils ce passage, dans un contexte ... [more ▼]

Entrer à l'université impose aux jeunes étudiants de renoncer à leurs habitudes de lycéens pour s'adapter à l'environnement et au travail universitaires. Comment négocient-ils ce passage, dans un contexte de crise de l'emploi et de réformes de l'enseignement supérieur? Sur quelles bases construisent-ils leur identité d'étudiant? Quelles sont leurs craintes et leurs interrogations? Avec le processus de Bologne, l'employabilité durable s'impose comme une des finalités des enseignements. Quelles compétences d'employabilité les étudiants se reconnaissent-ils? En quoi leur parcours universitaire contribue-t-il à l'acquisition de telles compétences? Enfin, qu'en est-il pour ceux qui quittent l'université sans achever leur première année d'études, désormais qualifiés de "décrocheurs"? Autant d'interrogations auxquelles cet ouvrage s'efforce de répondre, au travers de cinq études menées auprès d'étudiants belges, français, luxembourgeois et roumains. [less ▲]

Experiences of caregiving, satisfaction of life and social repercussions among family caregivers, two years post-stroke.

in Social Work in Health Care (2012), 51

Cerebrovascular diseases are a public health and social policy priority in Europe due to their high prevalence and the long-term disability they may result in (as the principal cause of handicap ... [more ▼]

Cerebrovascular diseases are a public health and social policy priority in Europe due to their high prevalence and the long-term disability they may result in (as the principal cause of handicap). Increasingly, family caregivers take over the care at home of these patients. Two years post-stroke, our study analyzed the feelings of family caregivers from Luxembourg and northeastern Portugal toward their experience of caregiving and its repercussions on social and couple relationships, life satisfaction, and socioeconomic characteristics. Participating hospitals identified survivors and consent was sought by letter. Patients (n = 62) and their main caregivers (n = 46 pairs) were interviewed at home. The mean life satisfaction of caregivers was similar, but the experience of providing care differed in terms of family support, and disruptions of the caregivers’ family responsibilities. More Portuguese respondents gave activities up, found little time for relaxation, and estimated that their health had deteriorated; more Luxembourgers felt strong enough to cope. More Portuguese spouses reported an impact on their sex lives. Family caregivers represent a “population at risk.” Social workers can help them by providing domestic assistance, undertaking coaching activities, fostering favorable attitudes, and offering reassurance. Home-based rehabilitation in Europe involving family care must take account of cultural lifestyle issues. [less ▲]

School difficulties and role of social, material, behavioural, physical and mental resources among multi-cultural students.

in BMC Public Health (2012), 12

Background: School is a multi-cultural setting where students need social, material, physical, and mental resources to attain school achievement. But they are often lacking, especially for immigrant ... [more ▼]

Background: School is a multi-cultural setting where students need social, material, physical, and mental resources to attain school achievement. But they are often lacking, especially for immigrant students. In an early adolescence context, this study assessed risk for school difficulties among European and non-European immigrants and the roles of socioeconomic characteristics, physical health, psychological health, social relationships, living environment, and unhealthy behaviours. Methods: This cross-sectional study included 1,559 middle-school adolescents from north-eastern France, who completed a self-administered questionnaire including socioeconomic characteristics (gender, age, family structure, father’s occupation, and family income), WHO-Quality of life (measuring the four dimensions physical health, psychological health, social relationships, and living environment), unhealthy behaviours (last-30-day uses of tobacco, alcohol, cannabis, and other illicit drugs and no regular ports/physical activities), grade repetition, low school performance (<10/20), and school dropout ideation at 16 years. Data were analyzed using logistic models. Results: Grade repetition affected 14.8% of students, low school performance 8.2%, and school dropout ideation 3.9%. European immigrants had a higher risk for grade repetition only with a gender-age-adjusted odds ratio (OR) of 2.44, vs. French students. This odds ratio decreased to 1.76 (contribution 47%) with further adjustment for all confounders (family structure, father’s occupation, family income, physical health, psychological health, social relationships, living environment, and unhealthy behaviours). Non-European immigrants had a statistically higher risk for all grade repetition, low school performance, and school dropout ideation with ORs of 3.29, 3.02, and 3.42, respectively vs. French students. These odds ratios decreased to 1.76, 1.54, and 1.54, respectively (contributions 66%, 73%, and 78%) with further adjustment for all confounders. Conclusions: Compared with French students, European immigrant students were more affected only by grade repetition while non-European immigrant students by all grade repetition, low school performance, and school dropout ideation. The contribution of socioeconomic characteristics, physical health, psychological health, social relationships, living environment, and unhealthy behaviours was very high and much higher for non-European than for European immigrant students. Public policy should focus on these factors and services to reduce school difficulties. [less ▲]